Nigerian Doctor Suspended In Canada For Inappropriate Comments

Canada-based Nigerian Doctor Adekunle Williams Owolabi asked a woman during a pap test “Do you like big ones or small ones?”

The Labrador West physician has lost his medical licence for six months and must be chaperoned when seeing female patients for two years once he goes back to work.

A tribunal established by the provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons on Monday found Dr Owolabi guilty of four counts of professional misconduct after a six-day hearing earlier this year.

Four female patients accused the Nigeria-trained doctor of making sexual comments, and of inappropriate hugging and kissing. In order to resume his general practice, Dr Owolabi must take a course on appropriate doctor-patient boundaries and has been ordered to pay the sum of $75,000.

In each of the four separate complaints, Owolabi was found to have shown a lack of respect for the dignity and privacy of his patients which shows professional misconduct, and he has 30 days to appeal to the trial division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dr Owolabi’s lawyer, Paul Stokes has said “He’s very disappointed but he understands the reasoning of the panel.“.

Adding that his client has not yet made a decision on whether to appeal or not. According to him, Dr Owolabi just looks forward “to following up with their penalties and getting back to work as soon as he possibly can.”